Luxury Interior Design: Creating a Masterpiece

Published: November 27th, 2012

Luxury interior design may be difficult to define but, like Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart once said about a more salacious art form, “I know it when I see it.”    The work of an interior designer may be described as making luxury such a real and felt experience that there can be no doubt:  This is it!

Luxury interior design begins with the more intangible qualities of a space:  light, dimension and flow.  We encounter luxury when we experience a wonderful combination of all three.  One of the most beautifully designed “rooms” I ever saw was in a garden in Ravello on the Amalfi Coast:

 This flowing garden path, with its dappling play of light and shadow, view of the sea, and perfect proportions, feels naturally luxurious.  We can imagine moving through this magnificent setting with grace and calm.   We envision quiet reflection or even intimate conversation along the way.  It is a masterpiece.

This is the experience of luxury that we seek, and when we find it, we long to experience it again and again.   My work as an interior designer insures that my clients can do just that, and my tools are many.   The wise selection and placement of furniture, for example, can enhance both interior and exterior vistas.  The dynamic mix of textures and materials, combined with superb craftsmanship, convey luxury to the senses.  The layering of color with light, shadow and form can alter and connect space.   When tools such as these are thoughtfully and creatively applied, a luxury home emerges.

Of course, not all homes are created alike.  Some may lack a spectacular view or have less exposure to natural light, while low ceilings and poor layouts may inhibit the flow of space in others.  In coming blog posts, I’ll devote some time to showing how to create luxury homes even when there are challenges, and how to determine that a prospective new home has the makings of a masterpiece.